Carrying bag

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a carrying bag, particularly a shopping bag having a preferably net and/or mesh like bag body  18  which has at least one strap  40 , a housing  11  which has a retraction opening  17  and retraction means connected to the bag body  18 , the means being made for example of a spring loaded reel  26 , wherein the retraction opening  17  and the retraction means  26  are designed such that the bag body  18  is folded in a tubular manner when pulled into the housing  11  and is rolled up in the housing  11.

The present invention concerns a carrying bag comprising a bag body,which has at least one strap, and a case which has a retraction openingand a bag body connected to the retraction means.

Carrying bags and here especially shopping bags are available indifferent variations regarding the bag body materials and designs.Particularly in the segment of shopping bags are for example plasticbags consisting out of polyethylene widely spread. This kind of bagtypically is found in retail stores and/or at the checkout ofsupermarkets enabling customers, who forgot their own bags, to transportsafely the bought items back home. Such plastic bags mainly are notmeant for a repeated usage and often are thrown away directly after thetransportation, resulting in an adverse ecological point of view. Bagsconsisting out of different materials, such as fabric bags, on one handside are meant for multi-usage but on the other they have thedisadvantage of being to space intensive. Thus, they are very seldom,e.g. in handbags, permanently carried around. That's why fabric bagswhen they are needed urgently are not handy. Furthermore fabric bagshave the disadvantage, that its storing volume is limited in comparisonto the space requirements. Eventually so-called net bags are often usedas shopping bags. This kind of net bags consist out of net and/or meshmaterial by having mainly a certain elasticity leading to little spacerequirements with a relatively huge storage volume. Nevertheless netand/or mesh bags are grudgingly transported by the user in othervessels, like handbags or backpacks, because the net fabric quickly getsdirty due to unprotected storage and easily interlocks with other itemsbeing inside of the handbag. Under such conditions the user only hasaccess to the handbag's volume and the net or mesh shopping bag withcomplications and after disentangling the interlocked items.

All those circumstances finally result in the scenario, that the userhas no own carrying bag available when it's needed. While shoppingshe/he is forced to fall back upon the ecologically not preferableplastic bags.

The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide acarrying bag especially a shopping bag, which eliminates the abovestated disadvantages. The carrying bag of the invention shall beparticularly suitable multi-usage, easy and without difficulties storagein other containers such as handbags and backpacks while the storagevolume in relation to the space required shall be huge.

This technical problem is solved by the carrying bag having thecharacteristics described in the annexed claims. Preferable embodimentsof the invention are subject to dependent claims.

Therefore the invention concerns a carrying bag, especially a shoppingbag, with one bag body, which has at least one strap and a case orhousing, which has a retraction opening where the bag body is connectedto the retraction means. The carrying bag of the invention ischaracterised in that the retraction opening and the retraction meansare adapted such that upon retraction into the housing, the bag body isfolded into a tube-like configuration and is reeled up within thehousing.

The invention firstly is based on the consideration offering a carryingbag with a separate protective housing. The German patent DE 198 40 410C2 describes a technical process and device for storing net- and/ormesh-like items. In this patent it's suggested to use a case with aretraction mechanism for reeling-up the net and/or mesh subject, whereasthe retraction mechanism, in general over a punctual fixation area,which is small in relation to the size of the net and/or mesh likesubject, affects at this item and reels it up in the box through aretraction opening that is also small, in comparison to the unfolded netand/or mesh like item. DE 198 40 410 C2 in general deals with retentionnets, for example for securing the freight in cars' trunks. Despite thatit's also mentioned that the net and/or mesh like subject could be alsoused for hammocks, ladders, security- and filter nets etc, and finallyalso for bags. DE 198 40 410 C2 neither describes a precise constructionof such a bag nor details of the appropriate retraction mechanism forthe daily use of such a bag.

The presented invention suggests to construct the retraction opening aswell as the retraction means, which are known from the bag in DE 198 40410 C2 in such way that by drafting the bag body into the housing orbox, it's folded tube-like and reeled-up in the case. Due to thetube-like folding of the bag body it's guaranteed that the bag body byreeling-up into the housing or box does not interlock or get knotteddisabling the process of reeling-up. By reeling-up the so folded tube avolume-saving storage of the bag body in the box is guaranteed. If theinvented carrying bag is not used, it stays completely retracted in thebox. The box covers the bag body completely and protects it fromcontamination and interference of other items. Thus the inventedcarrying bag can be stored without problems with other items in vesselssuch as handbags or backpacks, without the danger of other itemsinterlocking with the bag or contamination as well as other externalinfluences.

Adding a housing or box to the carrying bag allows furthermore diversedesign possibilities transferring a daily life item like a shopping baginto a real lifestyle object. The box typically will be out of plastic,which can have different forms and colours. A particularly volume savingbox for example can be achieved, if the box has the shape of a flat, atthe edges preferably rounded cylinder. The cylinder's axis in generalcorrelates the angle's axis. In this case the retraction opening ispreferably placed in such way in the girthed area of the roundedcylinder, that the bag's draft takes place tangentially towards theangle's axis.

The box of course can also consist out of other materials, e.g. sheet ofmetal or wood. Particularly preferable the box is constructedbipartitely whereas in the case of a flat cylindrical box the two halvesin general are connected vertically orientated to the angle's axis ofthe centre plane. After the integration of the retraction means of thepresented carrying bag the two box halves will be merged in theproduction process, e.g. by clogging, bolting, welding, riveting orprimarily preferable by appropriate complementary lock-in positions.According to a first embodiment, the two box halves are merged in suchway that they cannot be separated by the user, if handled properly.According to a second construction the halves of the box can beseparated by the user, e.g. by screwing them apart enabling in thisscenario to loosen the bag from the retraction means resulting in thepossibility to separately wash and clean it.

Preferably, the retraction means comprise a rotatably embedded reel inthe box, where the bag body is fixed. By reeling up the bag body intothe box the bag body itself can be reeled-up thanks to the foldedconfiguration.

Preferably the reel has a resetting mechanism for reeling-up the bagbody into the box. It could be for example a manually rotatable crankallowing the user to reel-up the bag body on the reel again after usage.Primarily preferable, the resetting mechanism comprises elastic springmediums which guarantee an automatic reeling-up of the bag body afterusage. The spring means are loaded by pulling the bag body out of thebox in such way that the force required for retracting the bag isavailable. Preferably, the spring means comprise a spiral spring.

Preferably the retraction means comprise a blocking means, which canresume a first position, where the retraction means are released and asecond position where the retraction means are locked or barred. Thefirst position with released retraction means correspond to the positionin which the bag body is reeled-up in the box. The second positioncorresponds to the unreeled bag in use. Such a blocking means isespecially needed if an elastic retraction mechanism for the automaticreeling-up of the bag body into the housing is provided.

According to a first construction the blocking means is automaticallylocking. For example a spring-loaded pin could be used, which afterhaving pulled the bag out arrests in an appropriate lock-in positionlocated e.g. on the reel. For unlocking the blocking means there couldbe for example an actuation element such as a button which can bepressed by the user. If pressed the spring loaded pin is sliding out ofthe lock-in position and sets the retracting mechanism free againresulting in the reeling-up of the bag body. The button can alsocomprise locking means, which can cooperate with complementary lockingmeans provided in the retraction means for locking the retraction means'rotation in reeling-up direction, in the direction which is equal thereeling-up of the bag in the housing. The button then is preferablyconstructed versus the retraction force of the retraction item'ssupposed elastic element which is axially placed in the housing's inner.Preferably the button unlocks in the housing's pressed position thelocking means while setting free the rotation of the retraction means inreeling-up direction.

According to a primarily preferable construction the blocking means canbe automatically unlocked, causing the user not to have to press anyobstruction element for unlocking. An automatic unlocking of theblocking means e.g. could be constructed in such way that the blockingmeans is unlocked by pulling the bag body upon the lock-in position.Appropriate constructional solutions for an automatic unlocking areknown out of the segment of cable windlasses, household items such ascable windlasses of hovers, where by pulling at the cable's end thespring loaded rolling feature is unlocked and the cable gets retractedagain into the housing. DE 1 574 391 for example describes an electricaldevice with a cable windlass, which has spring windlass for the maincable. The blocking of the spring biased windlass functions via amultiplicity of embedded lock-in pins, placed in a circle around thewindlass' axis. The pins are effective in one turning direction and theinterference of the lock-in is dependent on the turning speed.

According to another construction for the automatic unlocking of theblocking means, a central bearing pin of the reel has a toothing on partof its perimeter, into which a pivotably arranged, spring-biased rockerarm can engage. The toothing and the shape of the rocker arm aredesigned such that within the rocker arm's first orientation blocksboth, a rotation of the reel in the bag's reeling-up direction accordingthe turning direction as well as the pivoting of the rocker arm into hissecond orientation. A rotation of the reel in the extracting directionof the bag body is however possible. On the other part of the bearingpin's perimeter there's no toothing, thus enabling the rocker arm'sswivel towards his second orientation. Here a reel's turn in directionof reeling-up the bag body is possible.

According to another construction of the carrying bag of the invention,the blocking means can comprise a slider, which preferably finalisesflushed with the inner area of the housing and comes along with theabove mentioned second position of the reel. In the first position theslider sets the reel free enabling to pull out the bag body out of thebox while by moving the slider towards the second position blocks thereel. This results e.g. in a charged retraction mechanism and the bag isdisabled to move into the housing again. As soon as the slider is movedagain from position two to position one, the reel is unlocked and theretraction mechanism leads to the reeling-up of the bag body.

The reel can comprise two guide discs at its two axial ends whichpreferably terminate flushed with the housing's inner side. The guidediscs can have a toothing in which a pin of the slider in its secondposition interferes disabling the reel's rotation.

Preferably the bag body has at least one stop, which by reeling-up thebag into the housing engages with the perimeter of the retractionopening. The stop is constructed in the way that it is bigger at leastin one direction than the inner diameter of the retraction opening. Thestop consequently avoids that the bag body completely gets reeled-upinto the box. The user moreover is able to grasp the bag at the stop andto pull it out for usage. Preferably the housing's cut out retractionopening as well as the stop are formed in such way that the stop byreeled-up bag integrates itself aesthetically to the total shape of thebox thus forming a “closed appearance” of the housing.

Especially preferred, the stop is placed on the strap of the bag's body.The stop can be e.g. a body made of two parts, which for example in theproduction process of the invented carrying bag are placed around thestrap and/or, if two straps are desired, are placed around one strap andmerged by welding, bonding etc.

The bag body itself can consist of diverse materials such as fabricsand/or natural as well as synthetic materials. Primarily preferred, thebag body comprises net- and/or mesh-like material. Thus, it's possibleto realise on one hand side an easy and on the other side a volumeeffective shopping bag. The net and/or mesh material comprisespreferably out of an anisotropic elasticity allowing the adjustment ofthe bag's volume referring to the particular demand. The anisotropicelasticity is preferably chosen in the way that while carrying looseitems in the shopping bag the in general vertically orientated fibresand/or strings of the net and/or mesh like material have only a limitedelasticity which guarantees in general a constant length of the shoppingbag. Despite that the horizontal fibres and/or stripes are characterizedby a high elasticity enabling the bag to directly adjust to the neededtransportation volume.

According to a very preferable construction the bag body comprises twoconnected tailored parts, which have round edges. Such a construction ofthe bag's body guarantees a trouble-free extraction from and reinsertionof the bag from and into the housing, respectively.

In order to allow for making the bag of a light weight material andsimultaneously provide for a stable transportation bag allowing to carryheavy goods such as bottles etc. without causing ruptures, one of thestraps preferably is a ribbon. The ribbon will be folded on its endingsaround the upper edge of the tailored part and connected with it,whereas the middle part of the ribbon is distanced from the upper edgeof the tailored part resulting in a strap opening between the ribbon andthe upper edge of the tailored parts. This ensures that there's an evenintroduction of forces from the strap towards both tailored parts anddecreases the risk of ruptures while carrying heavy items. In addition,it's possible to integrate in the ribbon's middle area a reinforcementstripe which is connected to the endings of the tailored parts' upperedges, e.g. by sewing.

According to another construction of the carrying bag of the invention,the bag body itself is detachable from the retraction means.Accordingly, the bag body can be independently cleaned and/or otherwisewashed without the housing. Additionally, it's possible to use differentbag bodies, e.g. different in design and/or material, with the same box.The bag body for example can be fixed detachable on a ribbon or cordwhich is connected to the retraction means. Then the ribbon or cordpreferably has at least the length, or, if constructed out of elasticmaterial, is at least elastic enough, that the blocking means for thedetachable fixing of the bag body can be pulled out by the user.Appropriate fixing means are for example buttons, hook and loopfastener, rivets, zippers etc.

The housing's outside of the invented carrying bag can be designed indiverse ways. For example advertisement prints or pocket mirrorsintegrated into the box's surface. Particularly preferably, however, theouter surface of the housing is provided with means for releasablyattaching disc like body. This disc-like body is preferably a shoppingcart coin, which are often required to release a shopping cart from adepot where they are chained to each other.

The invention will now be described in more detail making reference topreferred embodiments depicted in the attached drawings. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of the housing of a first embodimentof the carrying bag according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view on the housing of FIG. 1 with the uppershell removed;

FIG. 3 is an axial cross sectional view through the housing of a secondembodiment of the invented carrying bag;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the reel arranged in thehousing of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is top view on the construction of the reels of the housing ofthe carrying bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is an axial cross-sectional view through the housing of a thirdembodiment of the carrying bag of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the reel arranged in the housing ofFIG. 10 with a part of the reel's mantle torn off;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the button arranged in the housing ofFIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the housing of forth embodiment of thecarrying bag of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the upper shell of the housing of FIG.13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the reel arranged in the housing ofFIG. 13;

FIG. 16 a perspective view of the lower shell of the housing of FIG. 13.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the carrying bag of the inventiondenoted in total by reference numeral. The bag 10 comprises a housing11, which in the demonstrated example has two half-shells 12 and 13which are connected along the centre plane 14 by lock-in means 15 and16. The lock-in means comprise pins 15 (see FIG. 2) which are placedaround the half-shells' edges 12. They snap in complementary openings 16which are provided on the periphery of the half-shell 13. The housing 11is characterised in general by an oval box opening 17 through which abag body 18, only a schematically depicted, can be pulled out of thecarrying bag. To this effect, the body 18 comprises a stop 19 in thearea of a strap which is not visible in FIG. 1, said stop beinggenerally adapted to the form of the retraction opening's shape 17 buthaving such a dimension that it fits closely to the peripheral edges ofthe opening 17, so that the bag body 18 is prevented from gettingreeled-up completely into the housing 11. The stop 19 furthermore actsas a pull-handle with which the user is able to pull the bag body 18 outof the housing 11. In the drawing of FIG. 1, showing only theschematically partially torn-off bag body 18, one notices that theretraction opening 17 and the housing 11 are designed in such way thatthe bag body 18 is folded into a tube-like form when being reeling-upinto the housing 11. This results in a volume-saving and structuredstorage of the bag body 18 in the housing leading to a trouble-freeusage of the invented carrying bag 10. The housing 11 is also providedwith a slider 20, which is shown in FIG. 1 in its first position, inwhich the un- and up-reeling of the bag body 18 is possible. As soon asthe slider 20 is moved towards the retraction opening 17 on the guidancetracks 21, it blocks, like more clearly described below in connectionwith FIG. 2, the un- and up-reeling of the bag body 18. In the depictedexample, the housing 11 is characterised in general by the form of aflat, rounded cylinder. On a front face 22 of the cylinder, clips 23acting as blocking means are provided which hold a detachable shoppingcart coin 24 in place. In the depicted example, there are threeholding-clips 23 distributed in a semicircle, protruding in the shape ofa reverse “L” over the front face 22 of the housing 11. The distancebetween the horizontally situated shank 25 of the L-like profile and thefront face 22 is defined in such way that it corresponds to thethickness of the shopping cart coin 24, resulting in the coin 24 havinga tight-fit. If the coin 24 shall be used, the user can slide the coinparallel to the interface 22 in direction of the semicircle-like area ofthe coin's perimeter, where no holding clips are provided, thusreleasing the coin from the clips.

In FIG. 2 the function of the carrying bag of the invention is describedmore clearly referring to a drawing of the housing 11 in which thehalf-shell 13 and the bag body 18 have been omitted in order to renderthe inner construction of the housing 11 more clear. The housing 11comprises a reel 26 rotatably embedded in the housing, which is arrangedrotatably around an axial bearing pin 27. The end of a (onlyschematically depicted) spiral spring 28 engages into the bearing pin27, whose other end is connected with the reel 26. The bag body 18 shownin FIG. 1 is fixed with the on the opposite side situated ending of stop19 which serves as the pulling strap lying with the reel. If the bagbody 18 is pulled through the retraction opening 17, the reel turnsagainst the retraction force of the spiral spring 28 which willconsequently be biased into reeling-up direction of the body bag 18.Upon releasing the bag body 18, the reel 26 can therefore reel it upagain in the other direction into the housing 11. To be able to blockthe reel 26 in the un-reeled position with tautened spiral spring 28,the slider 20 can be moved along a transversal inner area 29 of thehousing 11 in such way that a pin 30 of the slider towering above theinner of the housing 11 locks-in the on the reel 26 situated joggle 31.In the shown example the joggle 31 is placed on the outer edge of theaxial reel's ending 26 placed guide disc 32. Such a joggle can beearmarked for the same guide disc 32 situated on the opposite axialreel's ending 26. In this case the slider is symmetrically constructedand comprises one more of the same pins 30 which locks-in with thesecond guide disc's joggle. The guide discs are preferably integralingredients of the reel 26. The guide discs are situated in cavities sof the housing's inner surface, resulting in general in a flushed endingwith the inner area. Therefore the slider is constructed in the way thepins 30 are situated at the endings of a crescent part 33, which alsoends flushed with housings inner area. Accordingly, it's guaranteed thatthe blocking means made of the slider 20 and the guide discs 32 of thereel 26 do not influence the reeled-up bag body 18; especially theydon't interlock with the back, thus enabling trouble-free functioning ofthe un- and up-reeling of the bag as well as of the blocking means. Thebag body itself can be constructed permanently fixed to the reel 26 orcan be detachably mounted to the reel for cleaning-, reparation- orexchange.

While in the embodiment of the housing 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, amoveable slider for the blocking of the reel 26 is provided, FIGS. 3 and4 present an embodiment of the invented carrying bag having a reel whichis self-locking and self-blocking. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4elements, which have the same or related function like the elementsshown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 and 2 are denote by the same referencenumber 100 higher and will not be described again in detail.

FIG. 3 shows the housing 111 regarding to the self-blocking andself-locking embodiment of the invented carrying bag in an axialcross-sectional view. Here the reel 126 located in the housing's 111also comprises a spiral spring (not shown for the sake of a more clearrepresentation), which is loaded by pulling out the bag body (also notshown) through the retraction opening 117. In this self-locking andself-un-locking embodiment of the blocking means, the central bearingpin 127 of the reel comprises a toothing 151 on an area 150 of itsperimeter 151, into which a rocker arm 154, which is pivotably arrangedon an axis 152 and which is biased by a spring 153, can engage. Thetoothing 151 and the shape of the rocker arm are designed in such waythat the rocker arm shown in FIG. 4 in its first orientation can slidevia the toothing's 151 flanks when the reel 126 is turned. When the reelis turned in the direction of reeling-up of the bag body, the flanks ofthe toothing block the rocker arm 154 and vice versa. In the area 155 ofthe bearing pin's 127 perimeter are no pins situated, thus enabling therocker arm 154 in this area, under influence of the spring 153 whichcauses a torque, to swivel towards its second orientation, in which thereel's 126 rotation in direction of reeling-up the bag is unlocked.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic drawing of the bag body 18 of the inventedcarrying bag. For simplicity reasons, the net and/or mesh like structureof the bag body is not shown here. The bag body 18 comprises twotailored parts 34, 35, which are laid upon each other in FIG. 5 andwhich are sewed to each other around a U-like edge 36. In the area ofits in generally convex arched upper edge 37, both tailored parts 34, 35are not connected to each, thus forming the opening 18 of the bag body.Every convex arch 37 of the tailored parts 34, 35 comprises in itsmiddle area out of a concave cleavage 38 defining the downer fringe of astrap opening 39. The upper fringe of the strap opening 39 is formed bya ribbon 41 being a strap 40, which is prolonged towards both straps'directions in the area of the convex upper edge 37 of the tailored parts34 and 35. In this area the ribbon 41 is folded in the form of a reverse“U” around the upper edges of the tailored parts 34, 35 and merged withthe tailored parts 34, 35 by a seam 42. FIG. 6 shows the correspondingcross-sectional view along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5, where the so-formedthree-layer seam of the convex upper edge 37 of the tailored parts 34,35 is visible. Accordingly, an effective introduction of the strap's 40resulting forces into over the entire upper side of the bag body 18 isguaranteed, thus ensuring that when carrying heavy items, there's nodanger of rupture of the bag. In order to guarantee a three-layer firmconstruction in the area of the strap 40 as well, another ribbon layer43 is folded with the U-shaped ribbon 41 and sewed with a seam 44. Inthe drawing 25 of FIG. 7, the cut along the line VII-VII of FIG. 5 canbe seen. The over the seam overhanging loose endings of the ribbons 41,43 can be quilted. In the area of the strap 40 is also at least on oneside, the by the tailored parts 34, 35 defined structure of the alreadyabove stated stop 19 situated (in FIG. 5 only shown dotted). As one cansee in FIG. 8, showing a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII ofFIG. 5, the concave upper edge 38 of the tailored parts 34, 35 can bedouble-folded resulting also in a three-layered firm edge, which iscompleted with a seam 45. In the lower area of the bag, there is also athree-coated, folded ribbon 46 sewed in, which is connected with itsloose ending 47 or 48 to the reel 26, 126 of the housing 11, 111. Asseen in FIG. 9 showing a cut along the line IV-IV of FIG. 5 thethree-coated, folded ribbon 46 is sewed by two seams 48 and 49.

The interior of the bag body 18 is defined in that the endings of thetailored parts 34, 35 which are free from seams are oriented towards theinner direction around the U-like edge 36, resulting in a clean outerconnection edge 36. Depending on whether the housing 11 is connected tothe ending 48 of the ribbon 46 which terminates within the so-definedinterior space or whether it is connected to the outside ending 47 ofthe ribbon 46, the housing 11 is either carried inside of the bag'sbottom or outside of the bag hanging downwards when the bag is used.Since the housing 11 has to be outside from the bag's interior beforereeling-up the bag body 18, it's necessary to invert the bag beforereeling it up, if the housing 11 should be fixed to the ending 48 ofribbon 46.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the bag body can beconnected with appropriate fixing means (not shown here) in a detachableway to the housing's retraction means.

FIG. 10 shows a housing 211 of a further embodiment of the carrying bagof the invention in an axial cross-sectional view. This construction ofthe housing is self-blocking and can be unlocked by the user via abutton 270. This construction also comprises a reel 226 arrangedrotatably in the housing comprising a spiral spring (not shown for amore clear representation) which is loaded by pulling the bag body (alsonot shown) out the retraction opening of the housing, said opening islocated in the cut-off part of the drawing of FIG. 10 and is thereforenot visible in the drawing. The spiral spring is situated between thecentral bearing pin 227 and the reel 226. The spiral spring's endings(not shown) are firmly connected to the bearing pin 227 and the reel226, respectively resulting in a tensioning of the spiral spring of thereel 226 is turned with respect to the bearing pin 227. By pulling thecarrying bag out of the housing 221, the reel 226 is turning withrespect to the bearing pin 227 and loads the spiral spring because thebag 18 is firmly connected to the reel's 226 mantle area via its ending47 or 48 (see FIG. 5), said connection can e.g. be made by clogging orpoint welding.

The embodiment presented in FIG. 10 of the housing 211 also comprisestwo half-shells 212 and 213 which are mechanically connected along thecentre plane 214 with appropriate lock-in means 215, 216. Additionallyor alternatively, both half-shells can be also bonded to each otheralong the centre plane 214.

In the upper shell 212, a recess 256 is provided in which a shoppingcart coin 224 is arranged in such way that the upper surface of the coin224 generally ends flushed with the outer surface of the upper shell212. The shopping cart coin 224 is situated detachable in the recess256, whereas the inner diameter of the recess and the outer diameter ofthe coin 224 are dimensioned in such a way that on the one hand side thecoin 224 is safely held by the recess 256 and on the other hand it canbe easily detached from the recess 256 by the user. To this effect, therecess 256 can be provided by a peripheral gorge 257 in which the outeredge of the coin 224 engages when the coin is pressing into the recess256. Since the surface of the housing shell 212 in the depictedconstruction is vaulted, a planar shopping cart coin 224 doesn't restplanarly on bottom of the recess. The user consequently is able byslightly pressing on the coin's 224 periphery to shift it versus thebottom of the recess 256 bottom, so that the elasticity of the coin 224and/or of the material of the housing shell 212 defining the recess issufficient to enable the coin to disengage form the from the gorge 257of the recess 256 and consequently being released from the housing 211.

The locking and unlocking mechanisms, respectively, of the housing 211of FIG. 10 will be described in the following making reference to thereel 226 shown in more detail in FIG. 11 and the button 270 shown inmore detail in FIG. 12.

As can be seen in FIG. 11, the rotatable reel 226 comprises a hollowcylinder 258, in which an axially extending aperture 259 for locking the(not depicted) spiral spring is provided. For a more precisepresentation of the reel's 226 interior construction, the hollowcylinder 258 is shown in FIG. 11 with parts cut-off. At the hollowcylinder's 258 ending towards the button 270, radial wedges 260 arealigned which have a sloped sliding area 261 and a general axiallyextending stop area 262.

Furthermore, an elastic tongue 263 extending diagonally through thehollow cylinder's 258 interior space is provided, which, compared to thewedges 260, is slightly axially displaced towards the hollow cylinder's258 centre.

FIG. 12 shows the press button 270 in more detail. The button 270 isplaced into a recess 264 provided in the lower shell 213 of the housing211 (see FIG. 10). The outer edge 271 of the button 270 is designed insuch way that, inside of the half-shell 213, it engages under the edgeof the recess 264 with a circumferentially extending peripheral shoulder272 thus preventing the button 270 from falling out of the half-shell213 in the assembled device. The button 270 is arranged axially movablein the shell half 213, whereas the peripheral shoulder 272 forms a stopfor the button's outward movement, while the button's axial movementtowards the half shell's 213 inside causes the button to engage againstthe elastic tongue 263 of reel 226. On the side of the button 270directed towards the interior of housing 211, a guide cylinder 273 isprovided having a cavity 274 into which the bearing pin 227 can engage(see FIG. 10). On the guide cylinder's 273 outer perimeter, radiallyextending wedges 275 are provided which can cooperate with the wedges260 of reel 226 for locking and unlocking the reel 226. The wedges 275have a slope gliding area 276 and an in general axially oriented stoparea 277. The wedges 276 and 260 are arranged in such a way that theyenable, in one rotating direction of the reel 226, particularly in thedirection of unreeling the carrying bag which corresponds to a loadingof the spiral spring, a rotation of the reel 226 against the spiralspring's retraction force. As soon as the pulling force on the bagdecreases, the retraction spring tries to turn the reel 226 in theopposite direction. After moving in the opposite direction by a reducedangle determined by the number of wedges, the stop areas 262 of thereel's 226 wedges 260 engage with the stop areas 277 of the button's 270wedges 276 in such way that a further rotation of the reel 226 isprevented. The carrying bag of the invention is then ready to be used.If the user wants to reel the bag up into the housing 211, she/he onlyhas to press onto the outer surface 278 of the button 270 in order toforce the button a short distance axially into the housing 211. As aresult, the wedges 275, 260 which are still against each other, will beshifted axially against each other and the locking mechanism of the reelis unlocked. The reel 226 can rotate backwards under the retractionforce of the spiral spring towards its neutral position by reeling-upthe bag into the housing 211. The axial movement of the button 270towards the interior of the housing 211, caused by pressing the button,results in a deformation of the reel's 226 elastic tongue 263, againstwhich the edge of the guide cylinder 273 abuts. The elastic tonguecauses a retraction force opposite to the pressure exerted by the useron the button 270. As soon as the user releases the button 270, theretraction force caused by the elastic tongue 263 results in the button270 moving outwards again. Thus, the wedges 275 respectively 260 areagain engaged leading to the blocking of the reel 226 in the reeling-updirection.

FIG. 13 shows the housing 311 of another embodiment of the carrying bagof the invention in a perspective axial profile. The locking andunlocking mechanism, respectively, of the housing 311 in FIG. 13 areshown in more detail in FIGS. 14 to 16. FIG. 13 shows the housing 311 ofthe embodiment in an axial profile. FIG. 14 shows a perspective bottomview of the upper housing shell 312 with the button 370 inserted intothe shell, whereas FIG. 15 shows the reel 326 in more detail. FinallyFIG. 16 shows the lower shell 313. The elements of the embodiment ofFIGS. 13 to 16 which correspond to the elements of the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 to 2 and the embodiments of FIGS. 10 to 12, respectively orwhich have a similar function will be denoted by the same referencenumerals but increased by 300 and 100, respectively, and will do bedescribed again in detail.

This embodiment of the housing is also self-blocking and can be releasedby the user by pressing a button 370. An rotatable reel 326 arranged inthe housing 311 comprises a spiral spring (not shown in order to improveclarity of the representation of FIG. 15), which is loaded by pullingthe bag body (also not shown) out of the retraction opening 317. Thedrawing of FIG. 13 shows the retraction opening 317 closed by the stopwhich is used as pulling strap 319. The spiral spring is arrangedbetween a central bearing pin 327 and the reel 326 and functions likethe spiral spring already described in FIG. 1.

The housing 311 comprises two half-shells 312 and 313 which areconnected with each other along a centre plane 314. In the presentedconstruction, the two shells 312 and 313 are pressed together duringassembling, so that hooks 315, 316 located on the shells' edges canengage with each other.

The central bearing pin 327 which acts as the turning axis has a slot379 which widens in a V-like manner towards its upper end. At thebearing pin's peak 327 lock-in hooks 380 with a wedge-like contour areprovided. Due to the slot, the bearing pin 327 can be pressed togetherin such way during assembling that its peak with its lock-in hooks canengage into an opening 374 which is situated on the lower surface of thebutton 370. As soon as the peak of the bearing pin 327 has passedthrough the opening 374, the lock-in hooks can engage behind the outeredge of the opening. In essence this kind of construction, optionally incombination with bonding or welding of the shells edges, preventsunwanted opening of the housing 311 by the user.

The coin is placed on a pin provided at bottom side of the housing; arecess surrounding the coin allows detaching of the coin by tilting it.

In the variation of FIG. 13 the recess 356 for the shopping cart coin324 is arranged in the lower half-shell in such way that the surface ofthe coin 324 in general ends flushed with the surface of the lower shell313. The recess's bottom 356 and the coin's surface are not exactlycomplementary but allow on the one side to safely hold the coin 324 andon the order side to release the coin via a tilting movement of the coincaused by the user.

As can be taken from FIG. 15, the rotatable reel 326 comprises a hollowcylinder 358 in which an axially extending slot 359 for locking the(non-shown) spiral spring is provided. In the assembled housing, thereel 336 is surrounded by guide rings 381, 382 which are moulded on theinner surfaces of both, the upper and the lower shell 312 and 313. Bypulling out the (not depicted) shopping net, reel 326 is caused torotate by pulling the pulling strap 319 connected to the net, and thespiral spring, which on the one end engages into the bearing pin 327 andon the other end is fixed at the slot 359 of the reel, is loaded. Thecylindrical reel 326 comprises in its interior two resilient wedges 360which have a gliding slope surface 361 and an in general axiallyextending abutting area 362. On the side of the button 370 directedtowards the housing's 311 interior, a guidance cylinder 373 is providedhaving radially extending wedges 375 on its outer periphery. Similar tothe embodiment of FIGS. 10 to 12, the wedges can cooperate with thereel's 326 wedges 360 in order to locking or unlock the reel 326. Thewedges 360 can pass clockwisely the complimentary wedges 375 located onthe outer perimeter of the guidance cylinder 373 due to theirelasticity. The button is pushed outwardly towards its neutral positionwhich is aligned with housing's surface. As soon as the force on theshopping net decreases, the retraction spring turns the reel 326counter-clockwise resulting in a meeting of the wedges' 360 and 375abutting faces causing the retraction of the reel for reeling-up the netto stop. By pushing the button 370 the wedge 375 of the upper shell ispressed downward and passes below the reel's wedge. This causes theblocking of the reeling-up of the shopping net to be released and thenet is reeled-up completely by the tension of the spring.

The opening 374 in which the bearing pin 327 acting as an axis engages,prevents the interlocking of the axis by pushing the button. Theelasticity of the wedges 360 ensures that the button is elasticallypressed back. Optionally, it's possible to insert an elastic retractionmember such as a leaf spring or an elastic pillow between the bearingpin's peak and the button's inner surface to support the backwardmovement of the button.

Although the invention has been described regarding embodiments wherethe bag body in the area of its bottom is connected with retractionmeans and in the area of its straps comprises a pulling strap, otherpossible modifications are conceivable. The bag body for example can bealso connected in the area of its straps with the housing's retractionmeans. In this case the pulling strap will preferably will be placed onthe bag's bottom.

1. A carrying bag comprising a bag body which has at least one strap, ahousing which has a retraction opening, and retraction means connectedto the bag body, wherein the retraction opening and the retraction meansare adapted such that upon retraction into the housing, the bag body isfolded into a tube-like configuration and is reeled-up within thehousing, the retraction means comprising a reel rotatably arranged inthe housing, the bag body being attached to the reel, wherein the reelcomprises resetting means comprising elastic spring means forautomatically reeling-up of the bag body into the housing, and whereinthe retraction means comprises blocking means which are adapted toassume a first position in which the retraction means are released and asecond position in which the retraction means are blocked.
 2. Thecarrying bag according to claim 1 wherein the spring means comprise aspiral spring.
 3. The carrying bag according to claim 1 wherein theblocking means are adapted to automatically assume the blocked position.4. The carrying bag according to claim 3 wherein the blocking meanscomprise an actuation means for releasing the blocking means.
 5. Thecarrying bag according to claim 4 wherein the actuation means is abutton.
 6. The carrying bag according to claim 5 wherein the buttoncomprises locking means which are adapted to cooperate withcomplementary locking means in the retraction means planned enabling theblockade of the retraction means' rotation in the reeling-up direction.7. The carrying bag according to claim 5 wherein the button can beshifted axially into the interior of the housing against a resettingforce of an elastic element arranged in the retraction means.
 8. Thecarrying bag according to claim 5 wherein upon being pressed into thehousing, the button releases the locking means and allows for a rotationof the retraction means in the direction of reeling-up.
 9. The carryingbag according to claim 3 wherein the locking means can be released bypulling the bag body out into a position which extends over the lockingposition.
 10. The carrying bag according to claim 1 wherein the lockingmeans comprise a slider which ends flushed with the housing's innersurface and which engages the reel in the second position.
 11. Thecarrying bag according to claim 1 wherein in that the reel has two guidediscs on both of its axial endings which end flushed with the housing'sinner surface.
 12. The carrying bag according to claim 11 wherein atleast one of the guide discs has a toothing into which a lug of theslider in the second position engages.
 13. The carrying bag according toclaim 1 wherein the bag body comprises at least one stop which byreeling-up the bag body into the housing engages with the retractionopening.
 14. The carrying bag according to claim 13 wherein the stop islocated at the bag body's strap.
 15. The carrying bag according to claim1 wherein the housing comprises two half-shells which snap into eachother.
 16. The carrying bag according to claim 1 wherein the bag bodycomprises a net-like and/or mesh-like material.
 17. The carrying bagaccording to claim 16 wherein the net-like and/or mesh-like material hasan anisotropic elasticity.
 18. The carrying bag according to claim 1wherein the bag body comprises two tailored parts which have roundededges and which are attached to each other.
 19. The carrying bagaccording to claim 18 wherein the strap of bag body is made of a ribbonwhich is folded at its ends around the upper edges of the tailored partand attached to the tailored part, whereas the middle section of theribbon is distanced from the upper edge of the tailored part resultingin a strap opening between ribbon and the upper edge of the tailoredpart.
 20. The carrying bag according to claim 19 wherein a reinforcementstrip is inserted into the middle section of the ribbon, said stripbeing connected to the ends of the upper edge of the tailored part. 21.The carrying bag according to claim 1 wherein the bag body is detachablyconnected to the retraction means.
 22. The carrying bag according toclaim 1 wherein means for releasably attaching a disc-like body areprovided on the outer surface of the housing.
 23. The carrying bagaccording to claim 22 wherein the disc like body is a shopping cartcoin.
 24. A carrying bag comprising a bag body which has at least onestrap, a housing which has a retraction opening and retraction meansconnected to the bag body, wherein the retraction opening and theretraction means are adapted such that upon retraction into the housing,the bag body is folded into a tube-like configuration and is reeled-upwithin the housing, the retraction means comprising a reel rotatablyarranged in the housing, the bag body being attached to the reel,wherein means for releasably attaching a disc-like body are provided onthe outer surface of the housing, wherein the disc like body is ashopping cart coin.